


The Shining Star in Your Eyes

by Jackkel Dragon (jackkel_dragon)



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College, F/F, Workplace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-08-04 05:25:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 11,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16340624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackkel_dragon/pseuds/Jackkel%20Dragon
Summary: University life has done little to excite Mari, as she knows that she will be able to get a job in her family business whether or not she gets the degrees she is studying for. However, a chance encounter with a red-haired pianist whose talent outstrips her ambition convinces Mari that making this girl a star is her new mission. As the two transition from school to adult life, their bond deepens into something more than just a patron and her artist.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As with "Home in Each Other's Heart", this story is being written on a phone and thus will have fairly short chapters most of the time. I would also like to once again mention that my knowledge of the characters primarily comes from the mobile game (and sometimes the wiki) rather than the TV series or manga.
> 
> A few notes about the continuity of this story's AU:  
> \- No version of Aquors was ever formed.  
> \- Riko never moved to Uchiura.  
> \- Mari spent high school in Uchiura, but moved to the city for university.

Mari couldn't focus on the assignment in front of her. She sighed and looked out the window, wondering what she could be doing instead.

It wasn't that she disliked university or didn't want to do well. But she knew her family connections would get her a job whether or not she did well in school, and that dried up any motivation to excel. She needed something more exciting to interest her.

She got up and grabbed a jacket, heading outside. Her apartment was a penthouse in a building not far from the school campus, so she was going to go see what other students were doing today.

Walking through a park where the leaves were turning red, she buttoned up her jacket against the wind. She saw students here and there, going about their business. Some were sitting around in groups, while others went into the city to hang out.

Mari was still deciding where to go when she heard some instrument playing. Focusing on the sound, she identified it as a piano. She followed the sound to its source, entering the music building and wandering its halls.

When she found the room, she looked inside to see a red-haired girl sitting at the piano. She had long hair, a pretty face, and thin fingers. She kept playing, having not noticed Mari.

Mari listened, almost entranced. Not by the music, she realized. It was the girl. This girl could be a star, she thought. She was pretty and talented.

Deciding to try to talk to the girl, Mari cleared her throat. The girl glanced up from the piano, a bit surprised.

"You come to the music building often?" Mari joked, winking.

"S-sometimes." The girl averted her eyes. "I used to do piano recitals, so I play a little here sometimes..."

"Used to? Why did you stop?"

"I need a job." The girl frowned. "I can't just play piano all my life. That's why I'm here... to get a degree that will help me get hired."

This logic was almost alien to Mari, but she knew someone who had skipped university to get a job right away. It still felt so far removed from her life experience. "So you don't think you can get a job as a pianist?"

"It's... not a field that needs a lot of new workers." The girl shrugged. "It's okay. I need to grow up eventually, anyway."

The girl got up and left, waving goodbye. Mari was left wanting to say more. Talent like that shouldn't be wasted, in her mind.

Then, she got an idea. She could mold this girl into the star she was meant to be. Mari smiled, finally finding something to inspire her.

"I'm going to make you shine."


	2. Chapter 2

Using some of her family's influence, Mari was able to get some basic information about girls that might be her pianist. Going through the files, she kept looking until she found a photo that matched the girl she saw.

"Riko Sakurauchi..."

Mari skimmed the rest of the file, then laid on her bed to think. She needed a plan for how she'd get this girl to trust her. She could just say that her family was rich and would sponsor her, but that might be a bit too forward.

An idea came to Mari, and she quickly went over to her computer. A hotel her dad owned could host a recital featuring this girl. She just needed to find a few potential dates to schedule it on and send an offer to Riko.

It took most of the afternoon, but Mari made the arrangements and sent Riko the email offer to her university account. She just hoped Riko would accept...

\-----

Mari hurried to the meeting place, not wanting to risk losing this opportunity. Riko was sitting on a bench outside one of the school buildings, looking around for someone. She clearly wasn't expecting Mari.

"Ciao!" Mari waved and winked at Riko.

"Huh? You?" Riko looked around. "Are you Mari Ohara?"

"That's correct!" Mari said in English.

"Is your offer... because of what you saw the other day?"

"Right again." Mari nodded. "I think it's a waste for you to give up on the piano. So let's see what we can do~"

"Um..." Riko bit her lip. "I'm thankful, but... are you sure this is okay?"

"Of course!" Mari grabbed Riko by the shoulder, holding out her other arm to the sky. "I think you are star material!"

"That seems a bit excessive, Miss Ohara..."

"Please, it's just Mari for you." Mari considered her approach, and decided to tone it down. "Maybe not star material just yet, but I think you can be. Which is why I want to see you in action."

"You... think this is okay? What if I mess up?"

"It's all good~ Everyone makes mistakes, even experts. But I'm sure you can overcome them."

"You're very confident in a stranger like me..."

"I saw something in you, when we met. I'm sure there's more to you than you realize."

Riko sighed. "If you're sure... I'll give it a shot. I could use the money to help pay my tuition."

"Excellent!" Mari clapped her hands together. "If this goes well, how about I become something like a manager to you?"

"We'll see..." Riko swallowed. "I'm a bit nervous playing the piano for money..."

"Relax. It will be fine." Mari beamed at her. "I'll see you the afternoon before the recital, to help you prepare."

"Okay." Riko's face became determined. "I'll be there."


	3. Chapter 3

On the day of the recital, Mari lent Riko a dress to wear for the performance. When Riko got changed, Mari couldn't help but gasp at her beauty.

"Shiny..."

"Shiny...?" Riko questioned, glancing at the dress.

"Nothing!" Mari spiffed a few things, then smiled. "You look gorgeous. Are you ready?"

"Still nervous, but I'll be fine." Riko nodded.

"You will do wonderful, I'm sure." Mari patted her shoulders. "Do your best, Sakurauchi."

"Thanks, Mari." Riko smiled, then went to finish preparing.

Mari hurried to the dining area slash auditorium where the recital was to take place. Everyone there was well dressed and classy. This was normal to Mari, but she wondered if it made Riko worry.

Then, Riko walked out onto the platform where the piano had been set up. Mari's gaze was fixed on Riko, marveling at her beauty. Riko sat down, took a deep breath, then began to play.

Time blurred into a perpetual "now" as Mari watched and listened to Riko. Something about Riko was enthralling to her, keeping her from thinking of anything else.

It was almost a disappointment to Mari when the recital ended and Riko left, the music being replaced with recordings. Mari was in a daze as she went to the back room to congratulate Riko.

Mari was about to hug Riko and celebrate when she walked in to see Riko almost in tears. Mari's smile flipped as she tried to figure out what went wrong.

"I made so many mistakes, in front of all those rich people..." Riko huffed, rubbing her face. "That was so embarrassing...!"

"I... I thought it was wonderful. Better than anything I've heard."

"How? I botched half that first song!"

Mari paused. Had she been so entranced that she missed some major flaw in the performance? Or was Riko too self-conscious?

"I... don't think you did that poorly." Mari decided to hedge her bets by assuming a little of both possibilities. "But if there were errors... we can help you get past them. You can fix the mistakes."

Riko took a deep breath to calm herself. "You think... it was okay?"

"It was better than okay." Mari winked. "You really seduced me out there."

Riko's eyes went wide. "I... did?"

"Uh huh." Mari grinned, flashing a peace sign.

"That's... a little sudden..."

"Huh?"

Riko was blushing now. "I... Maybe I can do this sort of thing again, if you think I'm good enough. But..." She shook her head. "I'm not ready for a relationship."

She ran off to go get changed before Mari realized what had happened. Did Riko think she was trying to sleep with her?

"It... was a joke." Mari whispered to herself. Yet, thinking about it, she wondered if she did have an attraction to Riko...


	4. Chapter 4

Despite nearly scaring Riko off with a joke, Mari managed to convince her to accept her patronage. Mari would find places where Riko could play the piano for money, while Riko would keep in practice whenever her studies allowed.

Things seemed to be going well until near the start of winter break. Riko had a lot of exams to study for, giving her little time to prepare for a Christmas performance.

In order to try to get Riko into the right mindset to do well on her exams and to be ready for the recital, Mari decided to help her study.

"Id, ego, superego." Mari pointed out the notes for the information. "These should be easy after those other questions."

Riko nodded, trying to recall the information before she read from the notes. "Short version would be... impulses... the self... and ingrained beliefs."

"Good!" Mari set that sheet aside. "Now let's shuffle and start again."

After a few hours of this, the two of them took a break. Mari glanced around Riko's dorm room. It was so small, Mari couldn't imagine living in it...

"Thanks for all the help. It really makes me feel better about my chances for a good grade."

"You're my rising star. It's only natural I help you shine." Mari smiled easily.

"You really think I can be famous, don't you?"

"I'm sure of it." Mari nodded.

"I still can't see myself like that. I'm too... normal." Riko gave a weak smile. "But I am happy to feel like I'm special, while I can."

Mari hoped she could make Riko see her potential one day. But today was too early, it seemed. "You are special, though."

Riko frowned. "Are you sure I am? Or have I just... distracted you?"

"Distracted?"

Nodding, Riko continued. "You said you were attracted to me. Maybe... I'm not as good as you think right now."

Mari quickly shook her head. "No, you really do have talent." She blushed. "Maybe I do have a bit of a crush on you, but I'm sure I'm not just imagining things with your music."

"...Okay." Riko smiled. "I'll keep going, then. I don't think I'll ever be a star, but maybe I can at least get by on music, with your help."

Mari nodded. "Yeah!" She held up the notes. "And on the very low chance I'm wrong, you'll have a degree to work with!"

Riko chuckled, and the two went back to studying. Mari felt comfortable here... more so than she remembered feeling anywhere else. Only one other girl had made her feel this way...

She pushed that memory away. They weren't together anymore. Her responsibility was to Riko right now. She focused on the study session, allowing the happiness that Riko gave her to fill her up.


	5. Chapter 5

The day of the Christmas recital inched closer, and Mari did everything she could to prepare Riko for the big day. Exams came and went, with Riko doing better than she had expected.

Riko looked at herself in the mirror, examining the dress she and Mari had bought for the occasion. Riko had been reluctant to let Mari buy her an outfit, but she did like how pretty it was.

"You like it?" Mari asked, doing some last adjustments to her own dress.

"Yes. Thank you." Riko smiled. "I hope I don't make any mistakes this time."

"Relax, and you'll do fine." Mari suggested. She turned to look at Riko. "It's almost time."

Riko nodded. "Will your dad be here?"

Mari sighed. "He had to handle business elsewhere. His job doesn't take holidays."

"Oh... that's a shame." Riko frowned. "In that case... can we hang out after the performance?"

"Of course!" Mari nodded. "I'll lead the applause!"

They smiled at each other, and Riko went to get ready to go on the stage. Mari went to find her place in the audience.

There were several performances for this holiday event, so Mari had to wait a bit for what she came for. But when Riko got onto the stage, she knew it would be amazing.

Despite her enchantment with Riko and her music, Mari tried to notice the reaction of the crowd this time. If she was serious about being Riko's manager, she needed to know how well she was received.

Some of the audience didn't know what to expect from this newcomer with no history, but Mari watched as many were won over my the music. If only everyone could see Riko's genius... but that would be something to strive for in future events.

Mari snuck out after Riko was finished, not wanting to waste a second in telling Riko what the audience thought. She met Riko as she was getting out of the backstage area.

"People loved you, Sakurauchi." Mari beamed as she took Riko's hands.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Some were less enthused than others, but a lot of them were really into it!"

"I'm glad. I did a lot better this time." Riko smiled, sighing with relief.

"Celebration time?" Mari grinned.

"Sure."

Mari led Riko out of the venue and to her apartment. Still wearing their fancy dresses from the party, Mari poured them each a glass of wine.

"I've not had wine before..." Riko muttered, clutching the glass uncertainly.

"We're both old enough. It's just one glass." Mari winked and took a sip.

Riko sipped at the wine, but put it down right away. "Maybe... I'm still not quite ready for it."

"Okay." Mari nodded, her face becoming a bit more serious. She didn't want to make Riko uncomfortable after such a success. "Anyway, Christmas is just around the corner!"

"Yeah, just a few days away..."

"Any plans?" Mari took another sip of her wine, feeling its heat inside her.

Riko picked at her fingers. "Um... maybe."

"Tell me!" Mari leaned in, grinning.

Taking a deep breath, Riko look Mari in the eyes. "If you'd like... I want to spend Christmas Eve with you."

Mari blinked a few times, putting down her wine. "As... lovers?"

Riko nodded weakly, blushing.

Mari's smile returned. "I'd like that."

"In that case..." Riko's cheeks got even more red as she stood up. "Do you... want to celebrate tonight's recital... with..."

Riko pulled on the sleeves of her dress and let it fall to the floor, exposing everything her panties didn't cover. Mari gulped, wondering at the source of the heat in her face and chest.

"Are you comfortable with that?" Mari asked quietly.

A nod. Mari and Riko smiled awkwardly at each other as Mari stood up and took her own dress off.

The two moved to the bed, where they explored each other's bodies for the first time. They fell asleep in each other's arms, with Mari dreaming of Riko's moans of pleasure.


	6. Chapter 6

When Riko woke up naked next to Mari, she knew she had passed a point of no return. She sat up, remembering the passion of the previous night. It was enough to make her blush.

Mari stirred and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Sakurauchi?"

Riko considered what to say. "You knew a lot, last night... You've done it before, haven't you?"

After a hesitation, Mari nodded. "I had a girlfriend in high school. We had been childhood friends."

"Why... did you break up?"

"She stayed in that town after graduating. I moved here to prepare to work some part of the family business one day." Mari frowned. "We fought over it, too. I said some mean things to her..."

"I'm sorry I reminded you..."

"No, it's fine." Mari reached out to touch Riko's cheek. "I'll try to learn from that. So I don't end up breaking your heart, too."

Riko leaned in, and they kissed. Riko wasn't sure she should have fallen into bed with Mari so soon, but she also didn't think she regretted it.

"I better get us a cake." Mari mused, laying down.

Riko was going to respond, but her mind quickly became occupied in ogling Mari's bare breasts. When Mari caught this, she grinned.

"Wanna take a photo?"

"N-no!" Riko blushed, looking away. "Besides, wouldn't that be a blackmail risk? Your family is rich and powerful, after all..."

Mari frowned. "It probably would be. But I wish it wasn't such a big deal." She sighed. "Sometimes, the responsibility can be stifling."

Riko could guess, if not truly imagine. She was very... normal compared to Mari. She hoped that she wasn't the wrong kind of person to have a relationship with Mari...

"This is... okay, right?" Riko asked. "You aren't, like, betrothed to anyone? Or need someone with a background like you as your lover?"

Mari sat up and looked Riko in the eyes. "If you want to be my lover, I'll take it seriously. I joke around sometimes, but not with this." She took Riko's hands. "I'm not promised to anyone, and won't ever be asked to be. I'm yours, for as long as we are willing to be together."

Riko was shocked by this kind of statement, so early in the relationship. But she had been doubting it, so of course Mari would need to get serious. "I'm sorry I doubted you. I was just... worried..."

Mari smiled. "I understand. But I really am serious."

Riko hugged Mari. "Then we should go get that cake."

Mari chuckled. "I think I'm going to like Christmas this year."


	7. Chapter 7

When winter break came to an end, Riko was reluctant to go back to her old schedule. Mari had spoiled her with dates after the Christmas recital, so her face and voice were etched into Riko's mind.

Still, she had to get back to her schoolwork. As much as she trusted Mari at this point, she still felt an obligation to get a degree so she would have career options.

It was while she was trying to figure out how to keep her studies and practice balanced when Riko got a call from her mother. She wanted to know if Riko had chosen a field to focus her studies on, and Riko was unwilling to lie to her mother.

"I'm... still not sure about a specific degree."

"You're running out of time if you want to graduate in four years."

"I know, it's just..." Riko hesitated. "I've been doing a job... on and off. So I haven't had as much time to think it over."

"What kind of job?"

"Umm..." Riko took a breath. "Piano performances."

"Really?" Her mom sounded surprised.

Riko gave a short version of some of the details, making sure to leave out her relationship with Mari. When she finished, her mom sighed.

"I'm not so sure about this Ohara woman. She could have ulterior motives, you know. You may be getting ripped off."

"She's not like that..."

"How can you be sure?"

Riko bit her lip. She couldn't say "because I slept with her". Or anything that could make Mari look like a predator of some kind, tricking Riko into a relationship. But that left her with no ideas.

"How about this?" Her mom offered. "Let me talk to her. If she's honest, she'll be fine with meeting the mother of her future star. And if she's not but talks to me anyway, maybe I can expose her."

Riko felt uncomfortable with this idea, but she didn't see a good way to talk her mom down. "Okay..."

When the call was over, Riko slumped onto her dorm bed, drained. She was so not ready for her mom and girlfriend to meet...


	8. Chapter 8

"So I just need to win her over with my charm, right?" Mari flashed a grin.

"I'm not asking you to sleep with her." Riko sighed, shaking her head.

Mari kept grinning despite the awkward feeling in her gut. Did she really sound that horny in how she said it? "Okay, so no mother-daughter threesome for me."

They had taken the train to Riko's family home. Standing outside, Mari tried to prepare herself for this meeting. She was more nervous than when she met with business partners.

"Time to meet the parents!" Mari said, mostly for her own sake. She marched up and rang the doorbell.

Riko's mother had a striking similarity to her daughter, Mari noticed as she was invited in. That made sense, but made her feel uncomfortable. The three of them were soon seated at a table.

"I hear you've employed my daughter for piano performances." Riko's mother began.

I've also seen her naked, Mari thought to herself while forcing a smile. "That's right."

"I have a few questions about this job, if you don't mind."

Riko's mother began asking questions about the details of Mari's career path for Riko. Things such as payment, event selection, and insurance were brought up. Mari felt overwhelmed, despite this all being standard business talk. The whole time, Riko watched silently.

Eventually, Riko's mother sighed. "I'll take your word on that one." She glanced at Riko. "At any rate, perhaps you do have my daughter's interests in mind with your offer to her. But I'll still side with her if she should ever discover something shady about this setup."

Mari held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I won't do anything to trick or hurt her, I promise."

"I trust her." Riko said, finally finding her voice.

Riko's mother nodded, standing up. "In that case, I have nothing more to ask today. Thank you for talking with me, Miss Ohara."

"A pleasure, Missus Sakurauchi." Mari stood and shook the woman's hand. Inside her head, she was one step away from celebrating.

As Mari and Riko got onto the train to go back to school, Riko nudged Mari. "Should we have mentioned that we're dating?"

Having just felt relief washing over her, Mari shook her head and indicated some open seats. "One step at a time."

Riko noticed Mari's fatigue and decided to drop the subject. They leaned on each other during the train ride back, afraid of any more open display of affection right now.


	9. Chapter 9

Riko practiced using a keyboard in Mari's apartment, trying to imagine the sound an actual piano would make as she did so. Mari was at her computer, checking potential events to schedule for Riko.

"Sometimes, I wish I didn't have to go back to my dorm..." Riko mused aloud.

Mari turned in her chair. "You could always move in with me, once the new semester rolls around."

"Really?" Riko played with her hair. "I guess that could be a good idea..."

"And we'd have more time together." Mari winked.

"Speaking of school, you graduate after this semester, right?" Riko frowned and looked away. "Are you going to get busy with work right away?"

"Probably not." Mari stood up and stretched. "I'll probably start with stuff I can do on the side while I manage you."

"Your family's business is that extensive?" Riko shook her head. "It's like you live in a different world from me."

Mari frowned. She went over to Riko and hugged her. "I know it's overwhelming to you, but try not to worry about it, okay?"

"I just... wonder why a normal girl like me ended up with you."

"Sakurauchi..." Mari sighed. "You're more than just a normal girl. And even if you were normal, I wouldn't have started dating you unless I seriously thought we could end up together."

Riko leaned into Mari's hug. "We grew up so differently, though..."

"That isn't important. Our feelings and commitment to each other are what matters."

Nodding, Riko rested her head on Mari's chest. "Can I... ask a favor?"

"Of course!" Mari petted Riko. "What would you like?"

"Can you call me Riko?"

Mari grinned. "Gladly. Riko."

Riko smiled. She pulled back a little to look Mari in the eyes. "Want to... do it? Before I have to head back to my dorm?"

Kissing Riko on the lips, Mari guided her toward the bed. "I think we can manage that."

The two of them took their time, neither wanting it to be over. By the time Riko got dressed to return to her dorm room, she was exhausted.

Mari remained naked after Riko left, laying on the bed and thinking about her and what they did together. She found it unbearably cute that Riko instinctively tried to hide her face during climax. She giggled to herself as she remembered Riko's efforts to hide her embarrassment.

Unfortunately, she couldn't sit in bed and think about Riko all evening. Mari found her panties and a button-down shirt and slipped them on, then sat down at her computer. She needed to find new events for Riko to perform at, which meant she had to get back to work.

While thinking of Riko in bed distracted her, Mari was able to find some potential events. She typed up a list for Riko to choose from and sent it to her, then stretched her arms. She was getting used to this work, and she enjoyed it more and more.

"We'll show the world your talent, Riko." Mari smiled to herself.


	10. Chapter 10

In the days leading up to her graduation from university, Mari felt busier than ever. She already had enough credits for both of her degrees however her grades went, but other aspects of her life seemed to intensify just as school was nearly over.

Getting everything set up for Riko to move in with her was the easy part. She also had to introduce herself to some people in her family's company to help her find a place to start. She ended up taking charge of the local hotel where Riko had done her first performance under her wing, and so had to learn how to manage a hotel before she officially took the post.

In addition to all of this, Riko had decided to start composing her own songs. Mari encouraged this, seeing it as a great opportunity for Riko. But it also meant changing song lists for each recital and reworking the flyers to indicate there would be original music.

When gradation day came along, Mari expected things to be a lonely, but welcome break. Riko had to study for exams, and Mari was given the day off from job training. She ended up going to the commencement ceremony, despite not knowing anyone who would be there, just to give herself something to do.

Mari spaced out for most of the event, simply enjoying the time off from her other activities. She was leaving the auditorium when someone waved to get her attention. She turned around with a smile that quickly faded when she saw who it was.

"Congratulations, Mari." Kanan stood there in a formal dress, rubbing her neck. "Two degrees, huh?"

"Yeah." Mari blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought it might be nice for someone you know to congratulate you."

Mari bit her lip, unable to look Kanan in the eye. "But why would you want to? The last time we spoke, I insulted you."

"I'm sure you didn't mean it to be as harsh as it sounded. You were just trying to help me."

"I told you that you were wasting your life." Mari sighed. "How is that not harsh?"

"But we both know what you meant. You just wanted me to go to university with you." Kanan shrugged. "It's just that my family needed my help more than I needed a degree."

"We're both stuck in family businesses, huh?"

"Maybe." Kanan chuckled. "Anyway, do you want to get something to eat together?"

Mari glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Sure. But... before you get your hopes up..." She took a deep breath. "I have a new girlfriend."

"Oh... I see." A disappointed frown appeared on Kanan's face for a moment, then faded. "How long have you been dating?"

"About three or four months." Mari motioned for the door. "You sure you want to hear about her?"

"I won't get upset or jealous. It's fine." Kanan grinned.

The two of them went to get food together, with Kanan offering to pay before being shot down by Mari. While the whole situation felt awkward to Mari, she realized she felt better after they said goodbye. It was a much friendlier parting than their previous one, and eased some of the old pain.

When Mari went back home, she texted Riko while laying on her bed. She didn't want to interrupt Riko's studies, but she also didn't want Riko to worry she was getting back with her ex. Riko seemed to understand, leaving Mari smiling to herself when the chat was over.

With nothing else left to do, Mari let herself take a nap. She hadn't realized the buildup of fatigue in her body, but now it felt good to relieve it.


	11. Chapter 11

Riko tried her best to focus on the sheet music in front of her, but her nerves were getting to her. It was her first time performing at this hotel since Mari became its manager, and she wanted to prove that Mari wasn't wasting her time by managing Riko as well.

The mistakes added up, a mental tally in Riko's head. Each time made Riko tense up more, until she had to remind herself to keep proper posture. When it was over, Riko felt unable to give a proper bow to the audience. It took all of her willpower to not run backstage.

Mari was talking with hotel staff, so Riko went straight to the changing room. She switched into her track suit, hoping not to be recognized. Texting Mari her plan, she went straight back to the apartment.

It was late at night when Mari returned home, frowning with worry. "Are you feeling okay, Riko?"

"I fucked up so many times tonight. I bet everyone there was embarrassed!"

"My staff said everyone seemed to have a good time--"

"Maybe despite me, then." Riko pouted, crossing her arms. "I didn't even get my own songs right. They must think I'm an idiot!"

Mari bit her lip, nodding slowly. "Oookay, let's try something else..."

"Huh...?"

Mari walked over behind Riko and slowly touched her shoulders. When Riko didn't flinch, Mari began to softly rub at the tense muscles there.

"A massage...?"

"I'm not trained, but I can try." Mari pressed a little harder. "Are you okay with that?"

Riko considered it for a moment, then sighed. "Should I take my top off?"

"If you like. You don't have to."

Riko shrugged out of Mari's grip and pulled off the top of her track suit. She unclipped her bra as well, then went to the bed and knelt next to it so she could rest her chest on the mattress. "Ready."

Mari took a breath, reminding herself not to get any ideas. She began to rub Riko's tense muscles again, feeling just how affected Riko was by the recital just through the knots.

At one squeeze, Riko let out a moan. She immediately blushed and clamped her mouth shut.

"It'll happen. Try to just enjoy it, or you won't be able to relax properly." Mari patted Riko's head.

Slowly letting go of her mouth, Riko nodded for Mari to continue. As the massage went on, the sounds Riko made sounded more and more sensual.

\-----

Eventually, Riko was so relaxed that she looked like she was ready to sleep. "Thanks, Mari. You... didn't have to."

"It's fine." Mari kissed Riko on the cheek. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better." Riko stood up and began changing into her pajamas. "Is it okay... if we do that again sometime?"

"Whenever you need it!" Mari flashed a smile.

"Okay..." Riko took a deep breath. "Sorry about tonight. I'll make it up to you."

"No worries! I think it went better than you think." Mari pointed at the bed. "You should rest. I'll join you after I get changed."

While Riko got into bed, Mari went to the bathroom with her pajamas. After she changed out of her clothes, she checked to make sure Riko wasn't nearby. Then she locked the door and quietly fingered herself.

"Sorry, Riko." Mari whispered to herself. "I didn't want to ruin the moment, but you sounded so hot..."

After she finished, Mari washed off and put on her pajamas. She hoped Riko was none the wiser when she crawled into bed next to her.

Riko rolled over and put her arms around Mari. "I love you."

"I love you too, Riko." Mari kissed Riko. "Good night."


	12. Chapter 12

Mari tried to organize the cleaning staff, offering suggestions on how to deal with the room that had been trashed. A lot of them were frantic, since the hotel was fully booked and thus the room needed to be ready soon.

"Just focus on your tasks and everything will be fine." Mari turned to one of the other staff. "Make sure to prepare a message, just in case we have to delay the guest's check-in."

She was so busy managing the situation that she didn't notice the sharp-featured, suited man approach and begin to observe. As her people began to move into action, the man stepped closer.

"You seem to have matters under control."

The phrase had been said in English, and Mari reflexively responded in the same language. "We're always in control here at--"

She stopped as she turned and saw that it was her father. He grinned as she ran over and hugged him.

"...When did you get here?"

"Took a train into town this morning. Need to head to Awashima by tomorrow afternoon." He glanced around. "I thought I'd check in with the new manager."

"Well, we had an unruly guest last night, but we should be able to resolve that before it becomes a problem." Mari smiled. "Otherwise, everything is running smooth like butter."

"Good to hear." Mari's father clasped his hands behind his back, looking down the hallway. "And what about your side business?"

Mari hesitated, not sure what to say. "Riko is doing well with the guests here. Her performances may actually be driving some of our business."

"I sense a 'but' coming."

Mari sighed. "Opportunities outside of our hotels have been few and far between, even after Riko's original pieces were presented."

"That star isn't shining as brightly as you hoped, then." Mari's father turned to face her. "What is your plan, then?"

"I still believe in her. I want to see her recognized."

He nodded. "In that case, you should continue to sponsor her. I trust in your instincts on this one. And you've proven you can juggle both the hotel and your duties as her manager."

Mari smiled widely. "Thanks, dad."

"I should go say hello to some of my employees. Keep up the good work." Mari's father waved and walked away.

Mari wondered if this visit was a surprise inspection of some kind, or just a friendly family visit. Either way, it seemed things were still going well. She felt a little more confident as she went to check on the status of the clean-up.


	13. Chapter 13

Riko struggled with the next note, not sure what would sound good. She played what she had so far several times through, trying different notes at the end. But nothing sounded right.

She grumbled to herself, standing up and starting to pace. She was done with her homework, so she had nothing else to distract her. Mari had a full day of work today, so she wouldn't be around until evening.

Wandering the apartment, she poured herself some water, then reconsidered and tried some wine. She still didn't like the taste, so she went back to the water. As she poured the wine she didn't drink into the sink, she realized how wasteful she was being.

Stunned by this revelation, Riko had to sit down. She looked around Mari's posh apartment, taking in how expensive everything might be. As she did so, she felt her hands start to shake. She felt out of place.

She considered how much money she made. Mari took very little of the proceeds from Riko's performances, having a small fortune of her own already. But Riko would still never afford a place like this on her own. With the frequency of her recitals, a standard apartment would be her only real option.

Riko was almost doing a mental tally of expenses now, wondering how much she cost Mari every day. And what did she do to help pay back those costs? All her earnings were in her own bank account, nearly untouched.

Riko's chest clenched and she felt like it was hard to breathe. "Am I any better than a kept woman?"

The thought scared her. She didn't even know what she felt about it. Was it that it would be shameful to be such a person? Was it because she didn't deserve what Mari gave her?

Riko grabbed a bag of some sort of snack food and started eating, not even really tasting the food. Her mind went through these thoughts, over and over until they were burned into her memories.

When Mari came home, the bag was empty and Riko realized she hadn't even started dinner. That was no way to pay back Mari. She crumpled the empty snack bag and began to tear up.

"Riko! What's wrong?!" Mari rushed to Riko's side as soon as she saw the tears.

"I'm such a waste of your money. I'm just a kept woman." Riko began to sob, her hair getting in her eyes.

"What? That's not true. What are you saying...?" Mari reached out and brushed Riko's hair out of her face.

Riko explained her reasoning between sobs. Once she was done, Mari hugged her tightly.

"Riko, you're not a kept woman, or whatever it is you think." Mari tried to think of how to continue. "You're still a student, for one. And you do make your own money, even if you don't use it yet."

"But I get all these expensive things just by being your girlfriend..."

"Riko, stop." Mari grabbed Riko by the shoulders. "If you were in my position, would you do anything differently? Would you make me live separately and pay for everything I needed, just to make sure I was self-sufficient?"

"...No." Riko had to look away. Mari was right... if Riko had been the rich one, she would gladly spoil Mari.

"Don't feel guilty over this, okay? You're not some sort of prostitute, if that's what you're thinking." Mari sighed. "I love you, and I want you to live a comfortable life."

Riko fell into Mari's arms. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay." Mari patted Riko's back.

After calming down a bit, Riko pulled away. "I... think I should go to bed early. My homework is done, and I'm stuck with the song I'm writing."

"Okay." Mari kissed Riko. "Have shiny dreams."

Riko smiled, almost chuckling. "I'll try."

Changing into her pajamas, Riko went to bed. It was hard to sleep this early at night, but she wanted the rest either way. She wished she was more confident. If she was proud of herself, she wouldn't have scared Mari like this...

Latching onto that idea, Riko realized that would be her goal for the future. She wanted to be worthy of Mari's love, which meant she had to have confidence like Mari did. With these thoughts on her mind, Riko drifted to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Summer break came along, and Riko began to dedicate herself to her composing and piano practice. Despite her resolve to be more confident in herself, she started feeling even more self-conscious of each mistake.

One morning, she went to look for the keyboard to notice that it wasn't where she left it. She was about to go looking for it when she heard Mari clicking her tongue behind her.

"Looking for this?" Mari held up the keyboard, which had a bike chain wrapped around it and locked.

"Mari, what did you do to it...?"

"All work and no play makes Riko a dull girl~"

Mari theatrically threw the keyboard onto a couch. When Riko's eyes flicked back to Mari, though, she saw a more serious expression.

"Between university and your job, you've been spending too much time working. I've noticed that you get worked up a lot more than you used to." Mari crossed her arms. "I'm getting worried about you."

"S-sorry..." Riko frowned, looking away.

"So..." Mari grinned. "You are going to pick up a new hobby."

"But..."

"No excuses!" Mari grabbed Riko's shoulder. "You need a way to relax. Is there anything you used to do as a hobby?"

"Um... cooking, sometimes..." Riko thought back. "Let's see... Well, back in high school I..." She blushed a bit at the memory. "I... liked self-published comics about girls."

"Like, Girls Love?" Mari smirked. "I bet we can find some of that."

"I particularly liked... the ones where a girl is cornered against a wall..."

"Oooh... I wouldn't have expected that from you." Mari was beaming now, and pulled Riko along with her. "I think I figured out today's activity, then."

Despite Riko's embarrassment, Mari led them into the city to look for comic stores. As they walked, Mari looked up information on upcoming conventions that might sell self-published works.

After Mari judged a few stores lacking, she took Riko to a promising location. Riko couldn't bring herself to look at any of the other customers or the staff, so she hurried to a shelf and started browsing.

She found the Girls Love section in a little corner of the already small store. She thumbed through some of the paperbacks on display, not expecting much.

It was while she was flipping through one book that she noticed a cover that caught her interest. Putting the first book back, she picked up the other one and looked at a few pages. Riko blushed and shut the book, clutching it to her chest as she looked for Mari.

"Find anything?" Mari asked, her eyes dull from looking over too many shelves of the wrong types of manga.

Riko could only nod, too embarrassed to speak. She slipped the book over to Mari, whose eyes lit up when she glanced at the cover.

"If you're too embarrassed to buy it, I could go pay for it while you wait outside."

Riko nodded again, going out of the store to wait. She forced herself to take deep breaths, but was quickly blushing again when she remembered what she had seen.

Feeling the book slipped back into her hands, she turned to see Mari wink. "Want to keep looking? Or is that enough for today?"

"...Maybe later..."

Mari nodded in understanding. "I can keep an eye out for that sort of thing. I'll let you know if I find more."

The two of them went home, with Riko quickly retreating to a corner of the apartment to read her prize. Her cheeks were bright red as she recaptured the feeling of being a teenager reading romance manga.

When dinner time came, Mari had set up enough ingredients to feed them both twice. Riko realized she was being given a chance to cook something more complicated than usual, and smiled to herself.

"Let's see what recipe calls for these..." Riko checked her phone. "Mari, I might need a hand here."

Mari was an eagerly willing assistant during the cooking of dinner. When they ate, Riko felt relaxed and cheerful. As they cleaned up, Riko gave Mari a hug.

"Thanks, Mari. I guess I really do need a break, sometimes."

Mari played with Riko's hair. "Don't burn yourself out, Riko. Not everything has to be about work."

Riko nuzzled against Mari, who chuckled and hugged her close.

After dinner, Riko decided not to ask Mari to unchain the keyboard just yet. Instead, she went online in search of more self-published comics. By the time she went to sleep, she had several bookmark links saved.


	15. Chapter 15

Mari nodded her head in time with the rock music playing on her headset as she answered work emails. Her project to help Riko relieve tension by taking more time for hobbies reminded her that she was neglecting her free time as well. She didn't want to look like a hypocrite or risk burning out, so she decided to find time when she could for her old hobbies.

She was wrapping up with the emails when she noticed Riko enter the apartment with a shopping bag. Mari slipped off her headset and stood up. "What'd you buy?"

"Oh, um..." Riko fidgeted as she walked over. "There's an indoor water park that I think is new this year. I thought we could check it out. So I..."

"...Bought swimsuits?" Mari stepped away from her computer and peeked inside the bag. "Oooh... is this one yours?" She pulled out a pink swimsuit.

"Y-yeah." Riko blushed and glanced away.

"Gimme the name and I'll buy admission to the place. I'm almost done with what I need to do today, anyway."

"R-right now? But you haven't seen if the swimsuit I got you fits yet!"

"I know it'll be fine!" Mari swiped the bag and went to the bathroom. "Let's get ready to go!"

When Mari put the swimsuit on, she had a slightly better idea of why Riko had wanted to slow down. The purple bikini fit well on the bottom, but the top was fairly tight for Mari's bust.

Not wanting to back down, Mari put her outerwear on and marched from the bathroom to her computer. After getting the name of the water park from a changing Riko, she bought tickets for the day.

"Don't fall behind!" Mari called over to Riko, grinning. She had to suppress the urge to adjust the bikini top.

After Riko put on her pink two-piece swimsuit with an attached miniskirt, she quickly put her clothes on and followed Mari as they left the apartment. Riko provided directions, but Mari led the way.

Once inside the water park itself, Mari realized that it may have been a mistake to go in the tight swimsuit. Still not willing to admit the mistake, she dragged Riko toward a water slide.

"Let's go do this one!" Mari pointed it out, then scoped out the rest of the place for other ideas.

"Slow down!" Riko cried, nearly slipping on a damp patch of flooring.

Mari combed the place, checking out as many things as she could at least once. Riko had to scurry to keep up, while avoiding the scrutiny of the lifeguards trying to prevent people from running.

As she was running out of new things to try, Mari finally admitted to herself that she was being so gung ho about trying everything because it took her mind off how uncomfortable her swimsuit was. After realizing this, she slowed down so that Riko could catch up.

Riko was out of breath, her exposed skin glistening from the slides and pools she had been subjected to. "You're doing everything too fast... You're not going to... remember any of it..."

Mari bit her lip, patting Riko on the shoulder. "Sorry."

When Riko caught her breath, Mari agreed to do some of the spots again with her. But eventually, her bikini top got too annoying and she had to adjust it a few times to keep it from hurting.

"Is it too small?" Riko asked in a whisper.

"...Yeah." Mari sighed. "I didn't want to tell you because I said it was going to be fine."

"Sorry... I should have asked for your size..."

"No, it's not your fault." Mari put an arm around Riko. "You were trying to be nice."

"Still, maybe we should leave for today. Come back with a different swimsuit."

"Probably, yeah." Mari ran a hand through Riko's wet hair. "Want to help me get this annoying top off when we get home?"

Riko blushed, looking around to make sure nobody heard. "Mari, be quieter about that sort of thing!"

"Do you, though?" Mari whispered, leaning in close.

"...Yes."

"My body will be in your hands." Mari winked, causing Riko's blush to intensify.

"Let's go home before someone hears us..."

Mari smirked, though she felt a bit bad when Riko covered her face all the way to the locker room. Hopefully she could make up for it when they got home...


	16. Chapter 16

Riko was practicing for her next performance when suddenly her eyes were covered. She hit a discordant note and sighed, wishing she had the ability to focus even when distracted.

"What are you doing, Mari?"

"It's the anniversary of our partnership, so I got you a present~"

Riko brushed Mari's hands off her face and stood up. She was briefly confused how it could be their anniversary already, but then she realized Mari meant their business partnership. "What did you get?"

Mari held up a wrapped present, which Riko took and slowly unwrapped, not sure what to expect. Inside the wrapping was a book, probably a manga volume.

"I commissioned this myself. It hasn't been sold in any store or at any convention yet." Mari tapped the book. "Take a look inside."

Riko opened the cover to see notes from the artist of the comic. It was a Girls Love work that made sure to include certain elements requested by the commissioner. Riko's eyes went wide when she read the list.

"You... had a comic made specifically based on my weird fetishes?"

"They're not that weird, Riko." Mari stepped closer and touched Riko's hands. "But yes, I did order this for you."

"I... don't know what to say. Or what to give in return..."

"You don't need to give me anything. I wanted to do this for you." Mari kissed Riko, smiling. "I hope you enjoy it."

"I'm sure I will." Riko turned and put the book down on her seat. "But first..."

Riko took Mari by the hand and led her across the apartment. Mari wasn't sure what Riko had planned, but went along with it. Then, Riko pushed Mari against a wall and slammed her hand against it.

After a moment, Riko grimaced and held her hand. "Ow..."

Mari blinked, thinking she knew what was supposed to happen. Feeling sorry for Riko, she figured out what to do next.

"Let me see your hand..."

Riko held out her sore hand, which Mari took in both of her own. She kissed it gently, then used Riko's surprise to swirl her around so her back was against the wall. She then planted her hand on the wall, preventing Riko from getting away.

Riko's face went red, and her hands were quickly clasped over her chest. Mari tried to remember one of the other moves Riko liked. Thinking she had an idea, she used her free hand to lift Riko's mouth into a kiss.

From there, things escalated until both of them were lying naked on the bed. Riko tried to catch her breath, clinging to Mari's arm.

"I'm so happy I met you." Riko muttered, her mind still a bit cloudy.

"I am, too." Mari smiled at Riko, enjoying the quiet moment together after the excitement from the past few minutes.

After Riko's breathing was back to normal, she started stroking Mari's arm. "Why did you look for me, anyway? After that first meeting?"

"I've told you." Mari looked Riko in the eyes. "I think you can be a star. It would be a shame if someone as shiny as you never got the chance to show everyone."

Riko smiled, though a bit mischievously. "So are musicians your type, then?"

Mari chuckled. "Maybe. But I'm not looking for anyone right now. I have someone." She jokingly pointed at Riko with her free hand, as if explaining the joke.

"I'm so lucky to have met you. My life would have been so different without you." Riko nuzzled against Mari's arm.

The two of them laid there for a while, enjoying each other's company. While they had things to do, both were reluctant to leave the other. So, for the moment, they remained in bed next to one another.


	17. Chapter 17

It was the night before the Christmas recital at Mari's hotel. Riko practiced one last time, performing entirely from memory with her eyes shut.

Letting out a breath, she opened her eyes as she finished. She was ready now.

Mari clapped, smiling at Riko from her desk chair. "That was a shining performance."

Riko nodded. "Thank you." She felt warm from hearing Mari praise her. For once, she felt she deserved it.

"Before you go to bed, I have a question." Mari pointed at her computer screen. "It's about a way we can expand our reach."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm thinking of having recordings made of some of your original pieces. That way, we can sell them online." Mari crossed her arms. "It could help spread your name. But it also could make some people consider your live recitals... redundant."

"Couldn't someone just record it on their phone and sneak it online that way, anyway?"

"True." Mari had a serious face now. "But it's your music, so it's your choice."

Riko nodded. "I'm okay with selling recordings. Not everyone can go to the recitals, and it will hopefully bring some extra income in."

Riko realized that Mari probably made enough money on her own, but still felt like she should pull her own weight. Whatever Mari felt about that, she nodded and smiled at Riko's agreement.

"I'll make the arrangements." Mari put out a thumbs-up. "Let's break the charts!"

Chuckling, Riko nodded. She doubted that could happen, even if Mari could pull some strings. But it was a fun thought to consider.

\-----

The night of the recital came. Riko took a deep breath, then walked out into the lobby where she would be playing. She took a seat at the piano, trying not to think about the audience.

Closing her eyes, she felt out the keys. She went over the song list in her head, her fingers remembering the keys to press.

Then, when she was ready, she began to play.

Despite a bit of nervousness, her breathing was steady. The rare times her fingers slipped, she quickly corrected herself. As if entering a trance, her hands seemed to play by themselves.

When the performance was over, she actually waited to listen for the reaction. The polite applause was comforting, affirming the sound of her music. She wished the venue had been a place with more vocal cheering, but accepted the praise without complaint.

Walking back to the dressing room, Riko couldn't help but smile. Somehow, she was learning to be more confident in herself.

Mari came to meet her and congratulate her. Riko hugged Mari, a huge grin on her face. "How did I look?"

"Absolutely stunning." Mari embraced Riko back.

Riko felt her chest swelling. She didn't know how long this feeling of confidence would last, but she knew she would treasure this night. If she ever needed to remember how to believe in herself, this memory would be her milestone.


	18. Chapter 18

Time seemed to slip away for Mari as the months went by. Riko's graduation was fast approaching, but Mari had been too busy with her hotel job to help Riko finish school.

To make up for this, Mari scheduled the recordings of Riko's compositions. But conflicts in her own schedule kept her from going with Riko to any of these meetings.

While the holiday business had been a useful excuse at first, as March rolled around Mari started to worry that she wasn't spending enough time with Riko. She knew Riko wouldn't blame her, but that made it feel even more like a betrayal.

It was with these thoughts in mind that Mari bought Riko a graduation present and made sure to clear her schedule in advance of the ceremony. She wondered if the choice of gift was too bold, but she meant every bit of the sentiment behind it.

Riko's graduation came, and despite her lack of interest in the commencement ceremony she agreed to go at Mari's urging. Mari showed up with a full dress, as if it were a more formal and significant event than Riko took it for.

Once the ceremony was over, Mari took Riko to an expensive restaurant. She wanted to spoil Riko a little, and try to cover up her building anxiety.

"You didn't have to go all out on the celebration." Riko commented, looking around at the other tables. "I feel a bit underdressed..."

"It's fine!" Mari smiled, not able to look Riko in the eyes.

"Alright..." Riko took a deep breath. "Anyway, thanks for showing up. I'd probably have skipped the ceremony stuff if not for you."

"You looked great up there, getting your diploma and everything." Mari propped her head up with her hand. "So, how does it feel to be done with school?"

"It hasn't really set in yet..."

"It'll be fine. You have a lot of talent, and you've got a job already."

"Yeah... I guess you're right."

Riko continued eating, but Mari nervously rubbed the gift she had brought instead. With it hidden under the table, Mari wasn't sure if she should present it or pocket it.

"I... have a little gift for you." Mari almost flubbed the words.

"What kind of gift...?" Riko looked up, curious.

Mari grit her teeth, then steeled herself. She took the ring she had been hiding under the table and showed it to Riko.

"I haven't been able to spend enough time with you lately. Aside from work functions and nights, we barely see each other. I want to work on that."

Riko leaned in to look at the ring. "Is that... a ring? You really don't have to buy expensive things for me..."

"I thought you might say that." Mari grinned. "So I got you something simple and affordable. It won't get in the way of your piano, and it's not flashy."

Riko nodded slowly. "You put a lot of thought into this..."

Mari's heart was pounding, and her face was bright red. "You're my shining star, Riko. I want to spend my life with you and make you happy."

Her eyes widening, Riko clasped a hand over her mouth. "Wait, is this..."

"It's a proposal." Mari held up the ring, clearing her throat. "I know it's not going to count as legal here, but we can get married somewhere else, for our own sake. Maybe America." She forced herself to look Riko in the eyes. "I want to be your partner in every way I can."

Riko seemed stunned, unable to answer. She probably never expected a proposal; never expected Mari to want to get married so much that she'd want to go do it somewhere else. Mari felt her anxiety reach a peak. She wondered if Riko preferred the idea of being girlfriends over wife and wife.

Then, Riko made a sound like she was choking up. "Okay. If you can find a way we can... I'll marry you."

Relief made Mari slump in her seat, her arms shaking from the previous buildup of stress. She smiled like an idiot, her mind failing to come up with a way to properly thank Riko.

Riko took the ring, sliding it onto her finger. She smiled, giggling at it. "I never thought I'd get an engagement ring. Not after..."

Not after starting a relationship with a woman, Mari finished mentally. She sighed from her relief at Riko's acceptance of the ring. "I'll start planning. But I promise that I'll also spend more time with you, not just after the wedding."

Riko beamed at her. Mari almost wanted to point out how shiny Riko looked right now. "I'll look forward to it, then."


	19. Chapter 19

Riko felt her heart throbbing in her chest to the point it hurt. She stood just a few steps away from the front door of her parents' house, fiddling with her ring.

Thinking back, she realized that she had never even told her parents that she had been dating Mari. How was she supposed to tell them she was getting married?

Gritting her teeth, she rang the doorbell. She tried to calm down, but the frown on her mother's face as she opened the door suggested that she had failed.

"Is something wrong, Riko?"

"N-no..." Riko bit her lip and glanced away. "Can I sit down?"

After the two of them found a place to sit, Riko held a hand to her chest to catch her breath. She was trying to think of what to say when her mom broke the silence.

"Is that an engagement ring?"

Riko froze, reflexively hiding the ring with her other hand. "Y-yes..."

If her mother was upset at not hearing this sort of news sooner, she was hiding it. She seemed calm as she looked over Riko, trying to determine something. "Who are you planning to marry?"

Her mouth felt dry, so Riko had to swallow a few times before answering. "...Mari Ohara."

There was a silence in the room before her mother spoke again. "You'll be having the wedding somewhere where that is allowed, then?"

"Y-yeah... We're thinking of Hawaii..."

Riko's mother nodded slowly. Then, sighing, she shook her head. "Your father suspected that was what was happening, but I assumed Ohara was just your manager. I guess I should have read between the lines."

Afraid to ask the obvious question, Riko fiddled with her fingers. Seeing no other way to continue, she sighed and looked up. "Do you think... it's weird?"

"It's... something your father and I can get used to." She crossed her arms. "More importantly, not everyone will recognize your marriage. It's not required for foreign weddings to be treated as official here."

"We know..." Riko sighed, slumping in her seat.

"I realize it's not fair, but even someone as wealthy as the Ohara family can't ignore the law." Riko's mother stood up and walked over to her, patting her head. "But, if this is really something you want... dad and I will try to help you."

"Thanks, mom." Riko teared up a bit, hugging her mom close. "I was so worried you'd be upset."

"It's okay, Riko." Her mom patted her on the back, whispering to soothe her. "If you want, I can try to make it to the wedding."

"M-maybe Mari can pay for you, if you want to go..."

"We don't need to do that." Riko's mom frowned as she considered something. "Well, maybe if it's really expensive..."

Riko nuzzled against her mom, all of the worry fading away. She wasn't sure if her mom really was okay with this marriage, but the fact that she was supporting her was enough right now. She no longer had to hide away how she felt for Mari from her parents.


	20. Chapter 20

After a few frantic weeks of preparation, the date of the wedding came. Mari had to fight the urge to manage every little aspect, trying to trust everyone to do their jobs right without her watching over them.

They had decided to go with an American style wedding, since they were getting married at a resort in Hawaii. Some of Mari's subordinates at work had suggested she take the man's role of the traditional wedding, wearing a black tuxedo. However, she had opted instead to wear a white dress like Riko, to remind everyone who came that they were both women.

Mari felt nervous, waiting with the witness on a short stage with members of her family and Riko's mother present. But that nervousness melted away when she saw Riko approaching. A carefree smile appeared on her face as Riko stepped onto the stage.

"Shiny." Mari muttered, unable to think of anything else to say. Riko chuckled, looking coy.

The two of them were read their vows and affirmed them. When asked to kiss her bride, Mari had to take a deep breath before lifting Riko's veil. Afraid to embarrass Riko in front of an audience, Mari forced herself to give a chaste kiss that lasted only a moment.

After the ceremony, everyone went to a reserved area of the resort for the reception. It was a quiet, informal party at Riko's request. Since most of those present were from Mari's family, she felt it would be unfair to make Riko spend lots of time with strangers.

While Riko was getting food, Mari crept around the party, listening in on conversations. She stumbled upon her father talking to Riko's mom, and hid behind a plant to eavesdrop on them.

"She hadn't even told me about that yet. How long have those been out?"

"About a month or two." Mari's father put down a glass he had been drinking from. "I'm surprised she didn't mention them to you."

"It's been a while since I've listened to her play. How is she?"

"From the compositions I've listened to, she certainly has a gift. I'm not well versed in musical terminology, but I can tell that she has a skill of some kind."

Mari guessed they were talking about the music that Riko was releasing online. She made a mental note to suggest to Riko that she share her work with her parents. She was sure Riko's parents would be proud to see how far she had come.

Further eavesdropping was interrupted by Riko's return. Riko gave Mari a plate of food, which Mari took with some hesitation.

"Come on, you haven't eaten yet. Aren't you hungry?" Riko smirked, tilting her head.

"Nervous energy. Haven't really thought about food yet." Mari tried to relax her shoulders. "Still feels like a dream..."

"It's real." Riko poked Mari playfully. "You can't get out of it by waking up this time."

Mari chuckled. "Who said I was trying to get away?"

Checking both ways for witnesses, Mari gave Riko a quick kiss on the cheek. Riko blushed, putting more food in her mouth as an excuse to remain silent.

Despite the attempt to keep the party relatively calm, Mari felt exhausted by the end of the day. Going to her room as the sun set, she felt ready to pass out.

Stripping down to her panties, Mari laid on her bed and tried to stay awake. She didn't even hear when Riko entered the room and laid down next to her.

"You look beat..." Riko whispered, touching Mari's cheek. "Why not go to sleep?"

"It's still light out..."

"Yeah, bit you were under a lot of stress today, weren't you?" Riko stroked Mari's face and hair. "You wanted to make sure everything went perfectly."

"Yeah..."

"Well, you did it." Riko beamed down at Mari. "So, now you can rest..."

"...Okay."

Mari let her eyes close, and quickly fell asleep.

\-----

Riko kept playing with Mari's hair, smiling more widely than she ever remembered doing before.

"This is my wife now." She thought, taking in the sight of Mari resting under her. She leaned in and kissed Mari on the lips.

She had wanted to do more with Mari tonight, but she didn't want to keep Mari up after seeing how tired she was. There would be time for more later.

Undressing, Riko decided to forgo pajamas like Mari had. She had to be careful to get Mari under the blankets without waking her, but eventually managed to get them both tucked in.

"Good night, dear." Riko whispered, giggling to herself as she said it. "See you in the morning."


	21. Chapter 21

Not long after the wedding, Riko's music had a modest uptick in popularity. It wasn't enough to break any records, but the music was now purchased enough to count as a real source of income. When Mari realized the trend, she immediately prepared to share the good news with Riko.

It was a weekend when Mari decided she had enough proof to bring it up, and so she and Riko were at home together. She brought Riko over to her computer and showed her the stats, indicating how they showed the growth of Riko's popularity.

"Another step closer to being the shiniest star out there." Mari grinned. "What do you think?"

"It's... hard to take this in as real." Riko played with her hair. "I want to believe you, but..."

"There's no reason to doubt yourself. It's not just me who says you're amazing." Mari pointed out the review numbers. "You have so many positive reviews that they eclipse those that say otherwise."

"Yeah... It's just..." Riko gave an awkward chuckle. "It's crazy to think so many even listened to my music, much less..."

When she heard Riko trail off, Mari glanced over at her. Riko was staring at the screen, apparently still not quite accepting this as reality. Mari threw an arm around Riko, drawing her in for a half-hug.

"It's no joke, Riko. This is real. You got here."

Riko nodded, slowly at first. But then her eyes seemed to become more confident, and she nodded again with more certainty. "Yeah." She glanced at Mari. "I couldn't have done it without you. But... we're here now."

Mari nodded back. "And we won't stop 'til you're on top!"

Giggling, Riko shrugged. "We'll see about that. But I don't plan on stopping, either."

Leaning in, Mari gave Riko a kiss on the cheek. "And I'll be here to help you."

The two of them shared a more standard hug, then Riko pulled away with a determined look on her face.

"I'm really motivated now. I'm going to try to hammer out a song I've been putting off."

"Never give up!" Mari shouted, making a pose like a cheerleader. Giving a more natural smile, she shooed Riko away. "Go, while you have that fire going!"

Riko hurried over to her keyboard, grabbing it and some blank music sheets as she went off to practice and compose. Mari finished checking some things on her computer, then went over to go spy on Riko for a bit.

Riko was so focused on her work that she didn't even notice Mari come over to watch her. There was such a power in Riko's movements that Mari felt almost transfixed. It reminded her of when she first watched Riko play in the school music room, years before. But now Riko was something much more amazing than before. She had grown from a girl with potential to a woman with strength.

"I told you that you would shine one day." Mari whispered to herself, blowing a kiss to Riko.

Not wanting to interfere, Mari left Riko alone for now. But even as she tried to focus on her own work, she was overwhelmed with a feeling of pride. She was happy; happy to have been there to shape Riko into the wonder she had become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will probably be the final chapter of this story. I hope people enjoyed it!


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